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NAHT Northern Ireland

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NAHT Northern Ireland represents principals and vice-principals in around two-thirds of 1,150 schools in Northern Ireland. NAHT Northern Ireland provide advice, training and support for its members on a range of issues faced by senior leaders in schools. Along with our colleagues in England and Wales, we are there to defend and extend the rights of school leaders.  

NAHT NI is democratic and member-led, and supported by its Belfast-based team of staff alongside their colleagues based in both Wales and England.

NAHT Northern Ireland
Carnmoney House
Edgewater Office Park

Belfast
BT3 9JQ

nahtni@naht.org.uk
02890 776633 

NAHT NI comments on impact of Covid on children's mental health

Commenting as Northern Ireland's mental health champion, Professor Siobhan O'Neill, addresses Stormont's education committee on the impact of the Covid pandemic and lockdowns on children and young people's mental health, Dr Graham Gault, director of school leaders' union NAHT(NI), said:

"NAHT supports Professor Siobhan O’Neill’s call to the Stormont education committee for a new 10-year mental health strategy and an increase in funding for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.

"Our members daily express deep and heart-breaking concerns around the mental health and wellbeing of young people and the incomprehensibly large waiting lists for appropriate services.

"Additionally, school leaders tell us that deficiencies in existing services, including the totally unacceptable levels of basic funding to schools that directly prohibit essential spending on training, resourcing and adult support, contribute to the problems experienced by children.

"As we, as a society, look towards entering a new mandate after the coming election, we must consider what we want for our children. At the moment, following an incredible decade of decimated education funding, we are in line for a further three-year shortfall of three quarters of a billion pounds. As the union of school leaders, we cannot even begin to conceive of the damage that will be done to our children, our school system and our school workforce if this comes to pass."

First published 24 March 2022

NAHT Northern Ireland Events 2023

NAHT(NI) AGM and industrial action meeting

Our 2023 AGM and industrial action meeting takes place on Thursday 5 October 2023 – find out more

 

 

 

 

Recent consultations and other documents

NITC joint letter to management side

The five teacher unions in Northern Ireland, including NAHT(NI), wrote to the employers seeking additional payment to school leaders and teaching staff who worked significant additional hours during summer 2021 in order to ensure this work was recognised.

 

Consultation on deferring school starting age: NAHT(NI) draft response

We are concerned at the advancement of this proposal as the evidential basis for this consultation is highly limited. We contend that the current proposal should be retracted. The proposal fails to reflect the experience of pupils, school leaders, parents and the whole school community. Given the significance of this potential policy change, it is essential that the perspectives of all stakeholders are considered. We know that members are operating in a business-critical environment and will have limited or no time to engage with consultation exercises, however, we encourage members to consider responding to this important consultation and copy our response to complete your individual response.

 

Previous consultation responses and statements

First published 08 April 2020
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